Archaeological Investigations at Rocky Creek Wayside
Rocky Creek Wayside is located near Whale Cove on the central Oregon coast. Excavations were conducted to determine the nature and extent of three archaeological sites in relation to proposed safety improvements to the park entrance from the Oregon Coast Highway. This project was led by museum archaeologists (Drs. Tom Connolly and Guy Tasa) for the Oregon Department of Transportation, and in cooperation with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz and the Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation.
Radiocarbon dating of the sites indicate human occupation of the headland for over 4000 years. All three sites consist of mounds of shellfish refuse (middens) and artifacts. The shell piles primarily consist of California mussel (Mytilus californianus) and barnacles (Balanus sp.), the remnants of years and years of collection and consumption of these food resources by Native peoples. Other dietary refuse preserved in the middens include fish, mammal, and bird bone remains. Recovered tools from the site include stone and bone tools and flakes left over from the manufacture of stone tools.
Rocky Creek Wayside is located near Whale Cove on the central Oregon coast. Excavations were conducted to determine the nature and extent of three archaeological sites in relation to proposed safety improvements to the park entrance from the Oregon Coast Highway. This project was led by museum archaeologists (Drs. Tom Connolly and Guy Tasa) for the Oregon Department of Transportation, and in cooperation with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz and the Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation.
